The Cincinnati Police Department's account of the deadly shooting of David "Bones" Hebert on the morning of April 18 raises numerous questions for Hebert's roomate and other friends. Moreover, it differs sharply from comments made to some of them by Hebert’s female companion at the scene that night. The woman, whose name hasn’t been released by police, has retained a Blue Ash attorney and declined any public comment.  

An area civic group will launch a series of public meetings this week to examine the city of Cincinnati’s ever-growing Police Department budget and help residents make informed decisions about whether some cuts can be made. When the process is complete, the group will present its findings in a formal brief to the city manager’s office and City Council this fall.  

Local attorney Al Gerhardstein is concerned about the training and policies of law enforcement agencies regarding the justification and constitutionality of Taser use on nonviolent suspects.  

The last decade has seen the repeal of Article 12 and adoption of the Human Rights Ordinance, both huge victories for Cincinnati's LGBTQ community. But since Article 12's repeal in 2004, Cincinnati Police have processed just seven hate crime charges based on sexual orientation, compared to 19 in Columbus in 2007 alone. Local gay rights advocates say the incidents are being under-reported or under-pursued by police.  

Cincinnati neighborhoods could use more businesses like Milton's Prospect Hill Tavern. The watering hole, located roughly where Mount Auburn touches Over-the-Rhine, usually features an interesting cross-section of customers: young and old, black and white, straight and gay. In short, its crowd is often a microcosm of the city. But twice during the span of a week, on May 25 and May 31, the bar was robbed while it was open. Frustrated with the lackluster police response, Milton's owner is holding a fundraiser June 28 to help pay for security upgrades like indoor video cameras, increased outdoor lighting and fencing to enclose a patio area.  

Police expert John Linder issued a report to then-Mayor Charlie Luken in 2005 after interviewing Cincinnati Police Department employees and finding that officers didn't trust their supervisors to treat them fairly. CityBeat's Kevin Osborne might be the main reason its findings aren't completely forgotten, as he's written about department turmoil numerous times after discovering that few City Council members have ever seen the Linder Report and no one seems very interested in tracking down a copy.